FOLLOWUP: SDOT completes interim ‘Fauntleroy Boulevard’ changes

| Transportation | Triangle | West Seattle news

(SDOT photo, island and ‘bike box’ at Fauntleroy/Alaska)

3+ months ago, SDOT announced it was finally about to start work on the “near-term improvements” promised while the Fauntleroy Boulevard project remains on hold, awaiting Sound Transit‘s light-rail routing decision. Today, SDOT says the work’s done.

(SDOT photo, painted curb bulb at 37th/Fauntleroy)

Project spokesperson Adonis Ducksworth said via email, “As you know, this year we’ve been working on designing and implementing minor improvements along Fauntleroy Way SW. While the full Fauntleroy Boulevard Project continues to hold pending Sound Transit’s alignment for light rail to West Seattle, we worked with key stakeholders to design near-term improvements that will improve safety and mobility on the corridor. I’m happy to say that these improvements have now been built! These changes included including painting new curb bulbs, creating a new bike crossing at SW Alaska St, installing a new traffic island, improving the crosswalk at SW Oregon St, and more.” The full list is shown here (PDF). The aforementioned stakeholder discussion was back in July 2018, half a year after the full project was put on hold.

dhg November 4, 2019 (3:54 pm)

The City loves to paint roads as a solution to traffic direction. Look at the new screwy lines on Avalon! In Belltown there are lots of directional information painted on the road but mostly you can’t see it because cars are stopped on it. As I was driving on Avalon today the thought occurred to me that the City could create another Lombardy, crookedest street in San Fran, by just painting the curves on a downhill slope and consider the job done.

Peter November 4, 2019 (5:36 pm)

That’s temporary striping on Avalon, it will be several more weeks before the asphalt is cured sufficiently for permanent striping, and that probably won’t be until spring due to weather. The striping on Fauntleroy is a stand in while rebuilding Fauntleroy has been delayed several years due to a small but loud group of NIMBYs
- K to the F November 5, 2019 (9:58 am)
  
  The Blvd Fauntlery project was delayed to avoid spending millions of $$ only to have it potentially torn up with light rail construction. The project is deferred until such a time as we know what path light rail will take.
Joe Z November 4, 2019 (6:18 pm)

The new Avalon is great! It feels like a city street now instead of a wide suburban street. And it is narrow on purpose to encourage slower vehicle speeds.
Julia November 4, 2019 (6:56 pm)

Have you seen the zig-zag painted lines on Henderson near Highland Park Elementary? I keep threatening to drive and follow the pattern.
- Olafur November 4, 2019 (9:52 pm)
  
  Interestingly, I thought those lines did a good job of bringing drivers’ attention to the slight directional change so they don’t run over the new pedestrian islands. Trenton at 30th could benefit from the same lines.

DRW November 4, 2019 (6:02 pm)

Good thing we have all of those bike lanes. November is the official start of take your bike to work!

Jon Wright November 4, 2019 (6:07 pm)

At the bottom of this comment page there was an ad for Jeff Lombard, Real Estate Agent. Talk about excellent product placement!

bolo November 4, 2019 (8:15 pm)

Are they changing the name to Fauntleroy Boulevard? Confusing!

WSB November 4, 2019 (8:42 pm)

No, that’s the longtime name of the project, which – if ever fully built – would transform the Triangle stretch of Fauntleroy into a “boulevard,” with medians etc.

Jieb November 4, 2019 (11:54 pm)

There were comments on a previous story about a request for a no turn on red from Fauntleroy to Alaska. I noticed it was added when I went through there last week. I think it’s a good idea since it’s a long curve to Alaska and not a typical 90 angle corner. Plus when traffic has a red arrow, pedestrians have the walk light to go with traffic using green arrows to head south on Fauntleroy.

KM November 5, 2019 (7:47 am)

That’s great! Fingers crossed it works.

Kathy November 5, 2019 (7:46 am)

A painted curb bulb on 37th and Fauntleroy, but still, after many years of begging, no curb cuts on that intersection so that people on wheels (wheelchairs, bicycles) have to veer out into speeding traffic or try to jump the curb. The interim improvements do nothing to make it safer to bike to businesses along Fauntleroy (like Trader Joe’s). We have only been planning and waiting 22 years for these safety improvements. The Perfect is the enemy of the Good. Just put in some temporary ramps.

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